Metal culvert.



J. OLSEN. 0' METAL' UIIVERT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24,1911.

Patentednac 1911.

4 jzvizzarx A PATENT OFFICE.

Marni. c U'Lv m.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec, 5,1911.

I App1ication fi1ed July 24, 1911. Serial No.'640,072.

1 To all it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Onsiin, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyle, in the countyof Mower and State of Minnesota, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Metal Culverts, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to corrugated sheet metalpipe, adapted particularly for use as a culvert.

The objects of the invention are to provide a knockdown metal culvert which can be transported to the place where it is to' be used and there set up by unskilledla-bor; to provide a culvert which is strong and rigid, and wherein the longitudinal seams or joints are of special construction to give great rigidity and resistance to displacement; to

. with respect to one another and for holding provide special mea-nsfor drawing the several sections of the culvert into position them in tight engagement.

The details of my invention will better scription taken in connection with the ac- I companying drawing in which- 1 with circumferential corrugations, which Figure 1 is aside elevation of. a portion of a culvert, Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of a 'longitudinal joint or seam. i

In the construction shown, the culvert comprises a plurality of sections of which only three appear in the drawing, these being designated/by the'numerals 1, 2 and 3. Section 1 may be identified as a bottom section and sections 2 and 3 as top sections. The two top sections have their ends abutting against one'anoth'er with the joint offset with respect to similar joints between adjacent bottom sections.

Each of the culvert sections is provided give strength to the culvert and which are an important,- factor in the longitudinal .seam or joint hereinafter described more in detailt Each of the sections is semi-circular in outline, but is somewhat lar er. than a ,each convex portion-4 is cut or slit so that there is produced a plurality of integral lugs, or fingers. Every alternate finger 5 is allowedto remain in its initial position, but

I each of the others is bent inward at its-base the upper section may rest. The bent fingershave curved surfaces which fit in the corrugations of the upper section and by their tight engagement with the innersurtions from lateral displacement.

gagement with one another, the sections are rovided along their edges with brackets r equipped with tightening bolts 8. These and are soshort that the tightening bolts may be applied very close to the overlap ping edges of the conduit. This obviates any tendency toward buckling or crushing, which might, arise if the tightening were eiiected by bands which completely envel oped the pi e. Each bracket is seated in the hollow o a corru ation, and the tightening bolts project on y slightlyat the side of the pipe. p

Havlng described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States'is;

1. A metal culvert pipe comprising upper and lower sections, each of which is provided with circumferential corrugations, said lower section having its edges out to form a plurality of fingers, some of which are bent inward to form shoulders on which said upper section may rest, each of said bent fingers having an upstanding portion arranged for tight engagement with the inner surface of the upper section, short brackets secured to said sections near their edges and means for joining the brackets, together to force the edges of the uppersection into secure engagement with the fingers of the lower section.

2. A metal culvert pipe comprising upper and lower sections, each of which is of cirsimicircle and each of which is provide% with circumferential corrugations, sa

secured to said 'upper?section, sai d bra rets beingfseated in the hollows of said corrugations, a lower section having both edges slit to form a plurality of fingers every alternate one of which is adapted to engage the faces thereof, serve to stiffen the structure and reinforce the joint.'- This gives greatrigidity to the culvert. and protects the. sec 1 cular outline and somewhat greater than ato form a shoulder G-upon which an edge of As a means for drawing the sections together and for holding them tightly in enbrackets are riveted to the culvert sections upper section having straight edges and said upper section having straight edges, bracl ts outer surfaceof said upper section, the -reinaiuder of said fingers being bent inward to form shoulders whereon the upper section may rest, said bent fingers having outstanding porlions which engage with the inner surface of the upper section and strengthen the same, and means carried by said lower section and engaging with said brackets to hold said sections in place.

3. (l metal culvert consisting of upper and lower sections which overlap, said sections being each provided with circumferential eo1'ru nil'ioiis,- said lower section having along each edge a plurality of slits dividing said edges into a plurality of integral fingers of which each alternate finger is bent inward to provide a shoulder on which an edge of the uppersection may rest, said fingers einbracin and strengthening the adjacent edges 0' the upper section, and brackets secured to said sections near their edges and provided with tightening bolts whereby said sections may be drawn together and held in tight Contact.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this fifteenth day of July A. D. 191],

JOHN OLSENI Witnesses XV. Mano FRAZER, R. A. ANDERSON. 

